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Afrin, Syria – Clashes broke out on Thursday between militants of al-Nusra Front and Kurdish forces of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) in the countryside of Afrin in Aleppo province, northern Syria, local activists reported.

The clashes erupted as the Nusra Front’s fighters assaulted some Kurdish villagers in the vicinity of Atama village and the town of Jenderis in the countryside of Afrin, media activist Sardar Khalil told ARA News in Afrin.

“When YPG fighters intervened to protect the villagers, who were assaulted by Nusra militants while working in their farms, the jihadist group opened fire and targeted YPG security checkpoints,” the source said.

A YPG fighter told ARA News that their forces had reached a truce with Nusra militants in the northwestern countryside of Aleppo. “However, some of Nusra’s militants are apparently trying to resume the fighting with our forces.”

“We (YPG) won’t stay still towards any such violations against civilians in Afrin,” he said. adding that Thursday’s clashes didn’t result in any casualties and that Nusra militants retreated to their bases in Aleppo countryside.

Nusra Front is Syria’s branch of al-Qaeda. The group shares control with Syrian Islamist rebels in Aleppo, Idlib and Qunaitra. Following months of fighting, Nusra reached a truce with Kurdish forces of the YPG in the northern countryside of Aleppo more than six months ago.